Chapter 31: The Secret of the Morlun Family! Spider Totem!
Cindy's Apartment
After Ethan Lee was pulled into Cindy's apartment, he watched as she carefully locked the heavy metal door behind them. Then, for extra security, she turned the large wheel lock into place.
"You know, they say girls who lack a sense of security need affection—gentle touches, warm hugs..." Ethan started rambling again.
"Alright, teacher, stop talking," Cindy interrupted, pulling him toward the couch. "This is serious."
She took a deep breath before launching into an explanation about the Morlun family.
The Morlun family exists across multiple universes, hunting those with animal totem abilities—people like Spider-Man and Black Panther. Morlun can sever the bridge between humans and their totemic powers, stripping them of their abilities and reducing them to ordinary people. That makes him one of the greatest threats to Spider Totemists.
After all, if they become powerless, how could they possibly fight back?
Cindy's worries weren't unfounded.
But Ethan didn't seem concerned. "Has Morlun actually shown up?"
"Uh…" Cindy hesitated. "No… but they'll appear in this universe sooner or later. We have to be prepared!"
"Then don't stress over it too much," Ethan said with a casual wave. "No need to lock yourself away before the enemy even shows up."
Cindy ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "Then what should I do?"
"Eat well, drink well, sleep well. Oh, and one more important thing."
"What?"
"I was in the middle of lunch when you dragged me here."
"Oh… right. Sorry, I got caught up in the moment."
Cindy suddenly realized her own stomach was empty. She stood up. "Wait here, I'll make something to eat."
As she turned toward the kitchen, she noticed Ethan still clutching a piece of her clothing.
"Hey! Give me back my shirt!"
---
As someone who lived alone, Cindy had developed pretty decent cooking skills.
Lunch turned out simple but presentable.
When she found out Ethan was of Chinese descent, she rummaged through her fridge, pulled out tomatoes and eggs, and quickly made a bowl of tomato egg drop soup.
Ethan felt incredibly lucky.
Not only were the girls he met beautiful, but they were also incredibly thoughtful.
Gwen was lively, kind, and so affectionate that she'd secretly played all sorts of "games" with him before they'd even reached home plate.
Jessica, though mischievous at times, was always there to cook meals, never tiring of taking care of him.
And though he hadn't known Skye for long, she had recently taken on the role of his caring assistant.
And they all thought he was just an ordinary guy—no extraordinary abilities, no immense wealth. Compared to someone like Tony Stark, Ethan wasn't exactly rich.
So, who said you needed superpowers to attract girls in the Marvel universe?
"What are you thinking about?" Cindy's voice pulled him back to reality.
She was watching him suspiciously. "If you're having any weird thoughts, you can leave this afternoon. No way am I letting you stay overnight."
"You were the one who dragged me here," Ethan replied shamelessly, scooting his chair closer to hers. "Cindy, I think you misunderstand me. I'm a gentleman!"
"Stay back!" Cindy quickly slid her chair away, wary of the strange attraction between them. "I can't help it!"
"Fine, fine." Ethan stopped teasing her and got back on topic. "So, how did you find out about Morlun?"
"My spider sense," Cindy said seriously.
She explained that all Spider Totemists derived their powers from the World Weaver.
As the chosen Bride, the central weaver of the Spider Web, Cindy possessed the strongest spider sense among all Spider Totems. Occasionally, her connection to the Spider Web allowed her to receive information about different Spider Totems from across the multiverse.
Her spider sense could even grant her glimpses of the future.
"That's pretty incredible," Ethan admitted. He picked up a peanut and handed it to her. "So, can you predict how many lovers I'll have in the future?"
Cough!
Cindy nearly choked on her soup. "I—I can't just predict things for myself!" She glared at him. "And, by the way, the U.S. is a monogamous society."
"What does that have to do with me?" Ethan took a sip of the fruit beer Cindy had brought out. With absolute confidence, he declared, "I'll just break out of this universe in the future."
Cindy sighed and handed him another peanut.
"Eat more, drink less."
"You don't have to keep calling me 'teacher,' by the way," Ethan added. "I only taught you once. Just call me Ethan."
"Alright then, Ethan~" Cindy said, testing his name. Then, curiosity got the better of her. "So, as a Spider Totemist, do you have any special abilities?"
It seemed like the perfect moment to show off.
What ability should he demonstrate?
If he told her he was just a Painting Spider, and his special talent was being really good at drawing, she'd probably get mad after revealing so many of her secrets.
After thinking it over, Ethan decided to show her something more impressive—an ability he had yet to use in front of anyone.
The ability to cling to walls through electrostatic adsorption.
He raised one hand.
A blue arc crackled across his palm.
Sparks flickered at his fingertips.
With his weather manipulation abilities, he had mastered something similar to Miles Morales' bio-electrokinesis.
Only his was much stronger.